Untitled Flashcards Set

1.1 Developments in East Asia

The Song Dynasty:

The Song Dynasty was one of the most prosperous dynasties at the time. It had maintained a bureaucratic structure with a civil service exam to enter it, proving meritocracy though Confucian values. The Mandate of Heaven proved legitimacy in rulers (like the DIvine RIght of KIngs). Society was mainly patriarchal and women had no rights, and had their feet binded for beauty, which brought them the inability to walk. The economy skyrocketed in this dynasty due to agricultural advances such as Champa rice (rice that could be grown in any time of the year and could spread rapidly), as well as technological advancements such as the iron plow, woodblock printing, gunpowder, compass, etc. This region was geographically isolated. Buddhism and Confucianism began to spread in this time through trade, bringing new values such as filial piety, the five fundamental relationships, the four noble truths, and the eightfold path.

Influences in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam:

Japan was separated by sea, being able to control more of its interactions, Buddhism and Confucianism were spread here and influence Shinto. Japan was a feudalism, not having a central government. Korea had adopted Buddhism and Confucianism beliefs, as well as their government system and writing. Aristocracy was more powerful in Korea; the civil service exam didn't appeal to peasants. Vietnam also adopted the Chinese writing system. Women enjoyed more freedom here and lived in nuclear families, instead of extended families. Many revolts would be lead by scholars if the government was too oppressive.

After Muhammad died, the spread of Islam diffused through trade and conquest after the conquering of Baghdad, forming the Abbasid Empire in what is now the Middle East. Soon the Abbasid Empire fell to the Turks and the Mongol Empire, and they continued to spread Islam to regions such as India, Spain, and West Africa. Three powerful empires emerged from there: the Ottoman, Mughal, and the Safavid. Diffusion methods of Islam included the Silk Road, Indian Ocean and Trans- Saharan trading routes, as well as military and conquest. As Islam spread, territories such as the Delhi Sultanate began to develop. Learning centers including the House of Wisdom were established in Baghdad which allowed for the spreading of ideas throughout the world.

Influences of Dar-Al-Islam:

Influences in religion impacted several regions. For example, Islam and Hinduism merged (syncretism) to create Sikhism (focusing on meditation and tolerance) and Sufism (mystical, popular Islam)

Soon, learning facilities opened in Timbuktu (House of Wisdom) that shared ideas with the rest of the world.

Arabic numerals originated in India and spread through trade routes. These soon were translated into Arabic, and later developing maths like trigonometry. This spread to many parts of the world.

Later, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity tolerated each other, also known as the Golden Age of Islam, allowing for the spread of ideas through many regions.

Government was based on Islamic principles. Caliphs were religious and political leaders responsible for upholding the Sharia law. 

Social structures were mainly patriarchal, but women has some freedom, like being able to participate in society, owning property, and calling divorces. However, women could not exit their houses without a man in their family, and they also had to be veiled and wear hijabs. This shows that they are still second class citizens, but are more free due to Muhhamads principles. 

1.4 Developments in the Americas

Mississippian Culture and the Mayans:

Mississippian Culture was the first large scale civilization in the Americas. This society’s social standing was determined by the women’s side of the family. This society declined due to flooding, diseases, and crop failures.

The Mayans - The Mayans had a city state government, having a king rule the kingdom and its surrounding territory, with no central government. Kings were chosen from god (similar to Mandate of Heaven and Divine Right of Kings), and if there was no king, a women would rule. Taxes were to be paid by labor. The incorporated ideas such as the concept of zero, rubber and writing in their lives, mainly linked through astronomy. They created the perfect calendar using pyramids such as the Chichen Itza. People also used to do human sacrifice as respect to the gods (war captives).

The Aztecs and Incas:

The Aztecs/Mexicas - The located in the island of Tenochtitlan, building many pyramids and temples, as well as chinampas, floating gardens to increase crop harvesting, irrigation, and economy. Tribute was a very big thing here, as it was used to pay taxes and expand the empire. Women had to weave clothes and the men had to hunt. The government was a theocracy, based on religion. Human sacrifice was practice as respect to the Gods, who sacrificed themselves to create the world. Ultimately the Aztecs fell due to low levels of technology and issues incoming with the Spaniards.

The Incas - Was split into four different provinces each having a government and bureaucracy. Labor was done through the mit’a system, building roads and bridges. Incan religion was based around the sun god, the most important god. Priests were highly valued for their abilities to predict future outcomes. The Incas developed quipu, a numeral recording system used for math and engineering, as well as waru waru, raised beds that controlled irrigation. This empire declined to to the Europeans and a civil war that weakened the Incas. 

1.5 Developments in Africa

There was no centralized government in East/ West Africa, instead there was kin-based networks. Families governed themselves, each one having their own chief dealing with neighboring groups. During this time, the trans-Saharan trade route flourished, with many luxury goods being transported on it such as gold and ivory.  This gave rise to four kingdoms: Ghana, Mali, Zimbabwe, and Ethiopia. All of these kingdoms made lots of wealth through trading and pilgrimages (Mansa Musa). Indian Ocean trade began to rise as well.

The social structure of Sub-Saharan Africa relied on gender, age and kinship in order to function in the society. This would determine what jobs you would do. Slave trade through the Indian Ocean began to rise due to the lack of workers. Some of these slaves started revolts such as the Zanj Rebellion. Culture was based around the ancestors and storytelling, as it could determine your success or downfall (through griots and griottes).

Developments in:

Feudalism was the main political system, where the king would give land to the nobles, in which the nobles would then give land to peasants to farm the king’s crops. Conditions in Europe improved, as the society continued to grow They introduced the three-field system, where two types of crops would grow seasonally, with one plot being vacant, allowing for soil fertilization. Trade fairs and banking were also being introduced in this time period. Urbanization grew this way, leading to many career paths to choose from, leading to guilds, business associations organized by merchants of the same line of work. Guilds were led by a master, who would teach apprentices (they did not get paid). Those apprentices would later become journeymen, getting paid while working alongside the master. Then once their work was recognized, they would become masters, soon being able to have their own shops.

Many houses would be made of wood, which would cause frequent fires. This area was very unsanitary. Soon, the Black Death broke out, coming from rats with fleas aboard ships from Asia. This wiped out ⅔ of the population

The Crusades:

The Crusades were a series of pillages that sought out to reclaim the holy land that had been captured and taken over by the Muslims. This was known as “god’s command”. They had first aimed to capture the city of Jerusalem. Many people had joined the Crusades to be liberated from sins and debt, as well as get guided to heaven. Popes highly encouraged the Church to take action. The first Crusade, happening from 1096-1099, captured Jerusalem in 1099, being very violent, as well as spreading cultural exchange into the Middle East. After this, they took over and targeted many other areas to make them convert to Christianity, otherwise torturing them when they would not.